1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fuel cell power generation system and more particularly to a unit system-assembled fuel cell power generation system in which functionally divided unit systems such as a fuel cell system, a fuel reforming system, a cooling water system, a starting temperature elevating system and a system controlling system are integrated in such a manner that the assembled power generation system can be transported in the assembled state. The present invention also relates to an improvement in the assembled structure of such a power generation system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a conventional arrangement of functionally divided equipments for a fuel cell power generation system with an output on the order of about 50 kW. As shown in FIG. 1, the location or area where a power generation system 100 is installed is separated into an apparatus room 101, a control room 102 adjacent to the apparatus room 101, and an installation room 103 surrounding the apparatus room 101 and the control room 102.
In the apparatus room 101 are arranged a cell stack 104 including a plurality of single cells (not shown) superimposed one on another, a fuel reformer 105 which is connected to the cell stack, reforms fuel such as liquid natural gas from a fuel source (not shown) and supplies the reformed fuel to the cell stack, and an air blower 106 which is connected to the cell stack and supplies reactant air to the cell stack. A system controlling system 107 is arranged in the control room 102. The system controlling system 107 includes a power inverter 108 which is connected to the cell stack 104 and invert the output direct current from the cell stack into alternating current, a distribution board 109 connected to the inverter and for supplying current to auxiliary machinery or auxiliaries (not shown), a metering and controlling apparatus 110 and the like.
On the other hand, the installation room 103 contains a cooling apparatus 111 for cooling the installation room 103, a starter temperature elevating apparatus 112 for elevating the temperatures of the cell stack at the time of starting the operation of the power generation system, a waste heat utilizing apparatus 113 for utilizing heat generated by the equipments in the installation room and the like. Also, an auxiliary power source 114 is provided in the installation room 103. The apparatuses are connected to each other with pipes and/or lead wires, thus giving a power generation system or plant.
The fuel cell power generation system constructed as described above requires a vast space when it is under performance test at the place where it has been produced. It is necessary for such a system once assembled to be disassembled before it can be transported to a spot where it is to be used and reassembled there to give an integrated whole system. The assembling, disassembling and reassembling require a large number of man-hour and take many days.
A conventional approach to cope with the aforementioned problems is to develop a fuel cell power generation system having a construction which permits assembling the system as a whole on a common stage and transportation of the system as an integrated body together with the stage. This construction minimizes space for assembling or testing on the production site and makes the disassembling before transportation and the reassembling after transportation unnecessary, so that it could be expected to reduce space, power and time to considerable extents.
However, the assembling the whole system involves a series of steps of assembling operations which should be performed within a narrow space. As a result, a long time is required for assembling the whole system, which will cancel the merit of reduced operation time obtained by the elimination of the step of disassembling the once integrated whole system into its components before transportation, and the step of reassembling the components into the integrated whole system after transportation. This is a great obstacle for the continuous production of fuel cell power generation systems at high efficiencies.
When one or more defective unit systems or parts are found in performance tests after the power generation system has once been assembled or troubles occur during the operation of the power generation system, the integrated whole system must be disassembled to some extent for inspection and repairs. A considerably long time will thus be necessary for disassembling and repairing the system. Also, a long time will be necessary in which the operation of the system is to be stopped for the inspection and repairs. Therefore, not only the supply of power will be impeded but also the operation efficiency of the power generation system will be decreased.